The Rebel
by Shrine Maiden Kitty
Summary: Ken had problems where he used to live, but they hope in his new neighborhod, he'll make new friends and forget about everything else, but there's just something about him that's different from others...


THE REBEL  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Why?" he asked curiously. Ken sighed, he wasn't a fan of telling stories, but wasn't this why he had moved in the first place? So he could cool off, and start off fresh, to make new friends. He began wearily, "It started last summer..." A flashback was coming on... Ken stopped in mid- sentence to regroup his thoughts, and the bitter memories came pouring back into his skull. He took a deep breath and set his short golden hair behind his ear. It fell forward again, because of the length. "I was 12 years old, and lived in Tamatchi Tokyo," he explained quietly, almost forgetting there was another occupant in the room. "That's not far from here," the visitor interupted, "and I'm 12." He smiled, Ken did not, he continued his story. "I was very... let's say, angry--" "Why?" the other boy questioned. "I was getting to that part," Ken gritted his teeth in anger, but he must stay cool.  
  
"My... friends, they, they had been my best friends since as long as I could remember. We had had our quarrels, but we were, friends all the same." he paused, and smiled, remembering each of their faces. There was-- "There was, Kiyo, Sage, Rukio, Tao, and my little sister, Okayama. Yes, they, we, were all the best of friends. But lately they had been, almost to say, avoiding me. I grew angry and as we were walking home from school one day they were talking amoungst themselves. I was in an extremely good mood that day, so I thought that I would forget all my woes and converse with everyone else.  
  
"So, do you want to go swimming at my house?" Tao asked, observing three other eager faces. "Could I come, and y'know watch?" I asked shyly, I wasn't much of the swimming type, but I enjoyed the area. "Uh, yeah," Tao replied, "Why not, I'll call you, Ken." "Really, you promise?" I asked eagerly, I was feeling so great that we had all forgotten our anger and were friends again. "I promise," he said slyly. I ran the rest of the way home in a mad rush.  
  
"Did they ever call you?" my new friend/foe asked. "Be patient," I said calmly, "I'm getting there. Hmm..." I said as a sleek body glided past my skin. "Panther," I breathed, as a shadow pranced across the room. It was my black cat, Panther. At the sound of his name, Emerald eyes flickered a warm welcome toward my guest and I. The kid collected Panther into his lap, and I once again took a one-way ticket down Memory Lane.  
  
"Anyway," I smiled as Panther made a new home out of the soft material on the kid's jeans, "I waited for the phone to ring, for a long time. But, it never did. I was already upset, for Panther was having one of his "days" and he took it out on my arm. But when Okayama arrived home, I was angry because they had not called yet. I walked outside and climbed up on the roof. It was nice and I could see figures moving up there. They were sly though, they made little noise, but I knew they were there. Later, as it began to rain I watched four figures emerge from the area. I was furious. I jumped off of the roof and went mad! I screamed at the top of my lungs and knocked over the basketball hoop. I pulled at my hair(which was long and indigo at the time) and stomped my feet. It was terrible. People in white suits came, and I feared I would never see my family again..." Ken sniffed as a tear glided down his pale cheek.  
  
"Oh," the younger boy replied, "That must of been awful." I nodded, "Oh, it was, I cried everyday until they finally let Mama and Papa visit." "What about Okayama?" "I killed her." That boy stared at me in disbelief, "Killed?" he questioned wearily. "That's what one would think," I said, "they won't tell me what happened... All I know is that... she's gone now." I wiped my eyes hastily, this was no way to make a first impression! "Oh," was all the other boy could say, Panther hopped off his lap and crawled securly into mine. I stoked him on reflex. "That place was horrible, they had terrible anger management sessions and treated me as if I were a vicious beast! I felt like my walls were closing in on me, and I was terribly lonely and insecure. When they finally let me out, it was demanded that we move away, from my home town, the only place I had ever known. And well, that's why I'm here." I sighed, my tear-stained face twisting into a fake smile. "All I ever really wanted was a friend," I sniffed and looked down at the floor.  
  
Soon I felt, a strong arm slung over my shoulders. "I'll be your friend," the boy smiled, "By the way, what is your name?" "Ken, Ken Ichijouji," I smiled, "And you?" "Daisuke Motomiya," he said and offered his hand to shake. "A pleasure," I said, and gladly took his hand into the strongest grip of friendship I would ever encounter. 


End file.
